Metallurgical processes such as soldering, welding, brazing, casting, and vapor deposition processes, which involve melting metal and then solidifying it, typically create microstructures (such as grain structures) in the resultant metal. Other metallurgical processes that do not involve melting metal, such as sintering parts using powder metallurgy, forming parts from metal that is in the mushy state, plating parts (either electrolytically or electrolessly), or vapor deposition of metals also typically create microstructures in the resultant metal. The size, orientation and morphology of the resultant microstructures generally has a significant effect on the bulk properties of the material. Often the size, orientation, and morphology of the microstructures resulting from these processes are difficult to control. What are needed therefore are improved methods for controlling the size, orientation, and morphology of microstructures resulting from these processes.